Wounded vets take flight with new technology, Return Flight program at Broomfield airport

INVENTION TAKES FLIGHT: Stewart McQuillan with TYJ Global, demonstrates the HeliLeg prosthetic that he developed. The HeliLeg has opened the door for the Return Flight program, which trains disabled civilians and veterans across the country to fly helicopters and become more competitive for jobs in the aviation industry.
(
David R. Jennings
)

After more than 20 years as a pilot, a plane accident left Stewart McQuillan paralyzed and unable to fly.

The accident, which happened when McQuillan was in the Royal Air Force in 1988, forced him to rethink his goals as a pilot. Yet the experience also got his brain working: What if there was a device that would help disabled pilots fly again?

McQuillan, who also has a background as an electrical engineer and an aerospace instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, answered his question by building the device himself.

That device, the HeliLeg, has added a unique training dimension to TYJ Global, a flight school based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield. The HeliLeg has opened the door for the Return Flight program, which trains disabled civilians and veterans across the country to fly helicopters and become more competitive for jobs in the aviation industry.

Before meeting McQuillan, Fyola had been working to diversify the flight school's offerings to become more specialized in a competitive market. After hearing McQuillan's story, he felt that working with disabled pilots was an underutilized type of training.

Fyola is a combat veteran who flew Black Hawk helicopters for a few years before moving into law enforcement in Denver and Jefferson counties. Fyola still has a deep connection to military life and wanted to help veterans gain new skills and find jobs, he said.

The Return Flight program aims to address some of veterans' challenges by making quality training available using the HeliLeg technology.

Demonstrating the HeliLeg on Thursday, McQuillan adjusted the device by fitting it around his upper leg, knee and foot. He switched on the pneumatic system, then grasped a handheld controller to move his leg. With a light touch on the joystick, the HeliLeg smoothly flexed his leg and foot, as if he were pushing down the brake pedal on a car.

"It's better than using robotics, which can be jerky," he said, flexing his foot again.

The Return Flight program, which began in March, is looking for funding so it can expand. Two students are in the program now, but there are a total of 11 who are interested, he said.

If the Return Flight program can continue taking off, Fyola hopes he can move TYJ Global to an expanded campus in Frederick.

There, Fyola aims to continue the flight training programs and add a specialized training center where law enforcement, EMS and firefighters can practice safety and training maneuvers that require working with aircraft.

McQuillan and Fyola hope TYJ Global's Warrior Products Division will be the answer for funding. The Warrior Products Division, also based in Broomfield, hires injured veterans to design, test and manufacture products, such as the HeliLeg prosthetic and a device that alerts gas station attendants a disabled person has arrived at a station. Adaptive equipment for fishing and hunting also is among the things the division is working on, and recent product designs have attracted the attention of Bass Pro Shop, McQuillan said.

Employing veterans is an important part of the plan, Fyola said, because it offers a way to translate veterans' specialized skills for use in civilian life. Plus, employees have the option of working more flexible schedules to accommodate side effects from combat-related injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"With PTSD, people can't always work a normal schedule. We want them to know they're in a safe environment with people who know what they're going through," he said.

McQuillan hopes the program will continue reaching out to veterans and others who are disabled. Learning to fly again, McQuillan said the technology he created helped bring back the freedom he felt while in the air.

Helicopters "are like giant toys, and I get to play with them," he said with a smile.

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